Last Updated on March 4, 2024
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Credit: Oakley on Instagram]
Oakley has always been a brand ahead of its time. From its inception in 1975, its future-forward looks have inspired generations of athletes and street style enthusiasts to make a bold eyewear statement. The tradition continues with Oakley’s latest release, Future Genesis, which introduces Maxine Fearlight as the granddaughter of the titular character in the brand’s 1992 Max Fearlight commercial. Maxine represents the new generation of Oakley, capturing the brand’s ability to harken toward their archives yet create releases that look fearlessly toward the future.
Because Oakley is ahead of its time, it’s found favor with many of the world’s greatest sports icons, from former Oakley board member Michael Jordan to Steph Curry, Patrick Mahomes, Kylian Mbappe, and more. Unsurprisingly, Oakley remains popular among their legions of fans, who have embraced the marriage of casual and functional through athleisure ensembles. So whether you’re headed to a pickup game or running errands, here’s how Oakley can take your athleisure game up a notch:
Eyewear
Credit: Oakley on Instagram]
We begin, of course, with Oakley’s central and most ubiquitous fashion accessory: their sunglasses. The right pair can catapult a standard hoodie-and-sweats athleisure combo from blah to buzzworthy, as long as you keep everything balanced. And function doesn’t go out the window: when choosing from Oakley’s sunglasses collection, you can opt for polarized lenses or add a prescription to their lightweight frames. For sunnies that catch the eye but don’t look too out of place with your athleisure aesthetic, consider the Plazma frames, which feature a rugged silhouette and a three-point architecture that holds the eyewear in place with precise optical alignment. If your sunglasses are the star of the show, match your outfit’s accent color to that of its lenses or frames. This creates a cohesive look while maintaining a clear focal point.
Outerwear
Credit: PALACE on Instagram]
As popular as Oakley’s eyewear range is, the brand also carries a range of outerwear and hoodies to go with them. An unwritten rule of athleisure is never to mix brand logos in a single outfit conspicuously; this keeps you from looking like a walking advertisement. For those who wanna rep Oakley below the neck, too, the outdoor label has partnered with cult-favorite Palace Skateboards for a capsule collection that covers sunglasses and apparel. The Palace x Oakley hoodie comes in sand, grey, and black for maximum versatility. In our “How to Be More Stylish” post, we talked about the importance of fit before style. So, when wearing a roomy hoodie, create contrast by pairing it with shorts and long socks, or keep it simple with a pair of leggings.
Shoes
Credit: Hiking Patrol on Instagram
Lifestyle shoes are arguably the clothing item that propelled the global athleisure movement, paving the way for the widespread acceptance of tracksuits and yoga pants in non-gym social settings. Oakley’s been putting out shoes since 1998, and today, they continue to create unorthodox footwear offerings that are as comfortable as they are stylish. A designer who recently joined forces with the brand is Junya Watanabe MAN; together, they released a new iteration of the early-’00s Oakley Flesh shoe design. The slip-on shoes are easy to put on and slide off, featuring an all-black tonal palette for wearability and a luxe neoprene-suede upper. With statement shoes, you never want to obscure: wear above-the-ankle pants or draw attention to them with colorful socks to make a real impact.
Athleisure doesn’t have to look lazy. With the right combinations, you can look casual but put together. One thing’s for sure: if you’ve got an Oakley piece (or two) in your outfit, it’s sure to be a head-turner.